TOM SAWYER PROPAGANDA
gentle hyperbole- reason in article The whitewashing event in Tom Sawyer is a very good use of propaganda.
Ben believed what Tom said although he knew that the whitewashing was work in the very beginning.Tom used examples of propaganda to talk Ben into believing what he was saying. This was a use of gentle hyperbole. Tom claims to Ben that the whitewashing is not work and quotes that it is perfect for Tom Sawyer. The hyperbole comes in because he is acting as if the whitewashing is very fun. Tom goes to a certain extent of exaggeration that Ben begins to believe it. The definition of hyperbole: involves completely overstating and exaggerating your point for effect. The propaganda caused Ben to trade what he had to whitewash. Tom used the gentle hyperbole and Ben began to believe it himself that he was having a great time, however in any other time, it was work to him. It changed his perspective. The way Tom acted and pretended caused Ben to want to have fun also, although it was never heard of that work was not work at all. In our current society, the gentle hyperbole is used mostly all the time. We phrase this as stretching the truth more. No one now a days cannot believe all products and their jobs. Many of the people who advertise the products exaggerate what it can do, just as Tom Sawyer did. I believe this propaganda was effective because it drew in others and that was the main point.
Hello, old chap, you got to work, hey?”
Tom wheeled suddenly and said:
“Why, it’s you, Ben! I warn’t noticing.”
“Say – I’m going in a-swimming, I am. Don’t you wish you could? But of course you’d drutherwork – wouldn’t you? Course you would!”
Tom contemplated the boy a bit, and said:
“What do you call work?”
“Why, ain’t that work?”
Tom resumed his whitewashing, and answered carelessly:
“Well, maybe it is, and maybe it ain’t. All I know, is, it suits Tom Sawyer.”
“Oh come, now, you don’t mean to let on that you like it?”
The brush continued to move.
“Like it? Well, I don’t see why I oughtn’t to like it. Does a boy get a chance to whitewash a fence every day?”
That put the thing in a new light. Ben stopped nibbling his apple. Tom swept his brush daintily back and forth – stepped back to note the effect – added a touch here and there – criticised the effect again – Ben watching every move and getting more and more interested, more and more absorbed. Presently he said:
“Say, Tom, let me whitewash a little.”
Tom considered, was about to consent; but he altered his mind:
“No – no – I reckon it wouldn’t hardly do, Ben. You see, Aunt Polly’s awful particular about this fence – right here on the street, you know – but if it was the back fence I wouldn’t mind and she wouldn’t. Yes, she’s awful particular about this fence; it’s got to be done very careful; I reckon there ain’t one boy in a thousand, maybe two thousand, that can do it the way it’s got to be done.”
“No – is that so? Oh come, now – lemme, just try. Only just a little – I’d let you, if you was me, Tom.”
“Ben, I’d like to, honest injun; but Aunt Polly – well, Jim wanted to do it, but she wouldn’t let him; Sid wanted to do it, and she wouldn’t let Sid. Now don’t you see how I’m fixed? If you was to tackle this fence and anything was to happen to it – ”
“Oh, shucks, I’ll be just as careful. Now lemme try. Say – I’ll give you the core of my apple.”
“Well, here – No, Ben, now don’t. I’m afeard – ”
“I’ll give you all of it!” www.pbs.org/marktwain/learnmore/writings_tom.html
TARGET AUDIENCE: Ben and others who have something to trade for whitewashing
gentle hyperbole- reason in article
The whitewashing event in Tom Sawyer is a very good use of propaganda.
Ben believed what Tom said although he knew that the whitewashing was work in the very beginning.Tom used examples of propaganda to talk Ben into believing what he was saying. This was a use of gentle hyperbole. Tom claims to Ben that the whitewashing is not work and quotes that it is perfect for Tom Sawyer. The hyperbole comes in because he is acting as if the whitewashing is very fun. Tom goes to a certain extent of exaggeration that Ben begins to believe it. The definition of hyperbole: involves completely overstating and exaggerating your point for effect. The propaganda caused Ben to trade what he had to whitewash. Tom used the gentle hyperbole and Ben began to believe it himself that he was having a great time, however in any other time, it was work to him. It changed his perspective. The way Tom acted and pretended caused Ben to want to have fun also, although it was never heard of that work was not work at all. In our current society, the gentle hyperbole is used mostly all the time. We phrase this as stretching the truth more. No one now a days cannot believe all products and their jobs. Many of the people who advertise the products exaggerate what it can do, just as Tom Sawyer did. I believe this propaganda was effective because it drew in others and that was the main point.
Hello, old chap, you got to work, hey?”
Tom wheeled suddenly and said:
“Why, it’s you, Ben! I warn’t noticing.”
“Say – I’m going in a-swimming, I am. Don’t you wish you could? But of course you’d drutherwork – wouldn’t you? Course you would!”
Tom contemplated the boy a bit, and said:
“What do you call work?”
“Why, ain’t that work?”
Tom resumed his whitewashing, and answered carelessly:
“Well, maybe it is, and maybe it ain’t. All I know, is, it suits Tom Sawyer.”
“Oh come, now, you don’t mean to let on that you like it?”
The brush continued to move.
“Like it? Well, I don’t see why I oughtn’t to like it. Does a boy get a chance to whitewash a fence every day?”
That put the thing in a new light. Ben stopped nibbling his apple. Tom swept his brush daintily back and forth – stepped back to note the effect – added a touch here and there – criticised the effect again – Ben watching every move and getting more and more interested, more and more absorbed. Presently he said:
“Say, Tom, let me whitewash a little.”
Tom considered, was about to consent; but he altered his mind:
“No – no – I reckon it wouldn’t hardly do, Ben. You see, Aunt Polly’s awful particular about this fence – right here on the street, you know – but if it was the back fence I wouldn’t mind and she wouldn’t. Yes, she’s awful particular about this fence; it’s got to be done very careful; I reckon there ain’t one boy in a thousand, maybe two thousand, that can do it the way it’s got to be done.”
“No – is that so? Oh come, now – lemme, just try. Only just a little – I’d let you, if you was me, Tom.”
“Ben, I’d like to, honest injun; but Aunt Polly – well, Jim wanted to do it, but she wouldn’t let him; Sid wanted to do it, and she wouldn’t let Sid. Now don’t you see how I’m fixed? If you was to tackle this fence and anything was to happen to it – ”
“Oh, shucks, I’ll be just as careful. Now lemme try. Say – I’ll give you the core of my apple.”
“Well, here – No, Ben, now don’t. I’m afeard – ”
“I’ll give you all of it!”
www.pbs.org/marktwain/learnmore/writings_tom.html
TARGET AUDIENCE: Ben and others who have something to trade for whitewashing